Various devices are known for capturing and killing rodents and animals such as moles in subterranean environments including tunnels located just beneath the soil surface. Reference in this regard Kintz U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,634, Van Dijnsen et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,326, Kim U.S. Pat. No. 5,953,853, and Farrell et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,445,301.
However, a shortcoming of the known devices is that they typically require some apparatus to be buried in, project into, or otherwise be present within a mole tunnel itself, which may require some hand digging. Also, moles may be less inclined to travel into areas of a tunnel that contain foreign objects or which have been extensively or unnaturally disturbed, altered or modified. Further, some of the known devices include spring loaded elements and/or poisons, that can present a danger to children and other persons, as well as pets.
Therefore, what is sought is a mole detector which is less, if at all, invasive into a tunnel, is easy and convenient to use, and which presents no danger to persons that come into contact with it, yet which is effective for detecting the presence of moles and other animals in relatively shallow subterranean tunnels.